This invention relates generally to practice ammunition for automatic weapons, and more specifically to a practice mortar shell which closely simulates a live, tactical mortar shell in both physical and operational characteristics.
It is common practice to employ practice ammunition devices during military training sessions. For example, typical aerial practice bombs are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1963451 and 2607294. During training sessions with weapons such as an 81 mm mortar, practice devices of the type shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2821 923; 3211094; 3374738; and 3948179 have been known and used for some time. This type of device includes an outer dummy cartridge adapted to fit within the barrel of a mortar and a smaller projectile cartridge located within the dummy shell. Only the smaller projectile cartridge is propelled through the air toward a target, and in no way does this cartridge simulates flight characteristics of a normal live mortar shell. Consequently it has been difficult to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of a training session. In addition, because of the rather complex construction of this type of practice device, it is quite expensive and thus prohibitive as to the number of practice rounds which may be fired.